Enhanced rear obstacle detection

ABSTRACT

A first output mechanism in a wearable device is actuated when a vehicle reverse speed exceeds a first threshold. A second output mechanism in a vehicle is actuated when a rear obstacle collision detection controller detects an impending collision with a rear obstacle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is filed under 35 U.S.C. § 371 as a nationalstage of, and as such claims priority to, International PatentApplication No. PCT/US2015/052556, filed on 28 Sep. 2015, the foregoingapplication is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Rear obstacle detection systems provide a way for vehicle drivers totake action if a collision with a rear obstacle is imminent. Animportant feature of such systems may be providing output indicating animminent rear collision so that the driver can take corrective action.However, current mechanisms to provide output concerning an imminentrear collision do not provide output targeted, tailored, or calibratedto a driver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example system including a wearabledevice providing output indicating a possible collision with a rearobstacle.

FIG. 2 is an example process for providing an indication of a possiblecollision with a rear obstacle from a wearable device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 including a wearable device 140communicatively coupled, e.g., via a known wireless protocol, to avehicle 101 computing device 105. The computing device 105 is programmedto receive collected data 115, from one or more data collectors 110,e.g., vehicle 101 sensors, concerning various metrics related to thevehicle 101. For example, the metrics may include a velocity of thevehicle 101, vehicle 101 acceleration and/or deceleration, data relatedto vehicle 101 path or steering, rear obstacle data, biometric datarelated to a vehicle 101 operator, e.g., heart rate, respiration, pupildilation, body temperature, state of consciousness, etc. Furtherexamples of such metrics may include measurements of vehicle systems andcomponents (e.g. a steering system, a powertrain system, a brake system,internal sensing, external sensing, etc.). The computing device 105 maybe programmed to collect data 115 from the vehicle 101 in which it isinstalled, sometimes referred to as a host vehicle 101, and/or may beprogrammed to collect data 115 about a second vehicle 101, e.g., atarget vehicle.

The computing device 105 is generally programmed for communications on acontroller area network (CAN) bus or the like. The computing device 105may also have a connection to an onboard diagnostics connector (OBD-II).Via the CAN bus, OBD-II, and/or other wired or wireless mechanisms,e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, or the like, the computing device 105 maytransmit messages to various devices in a vehicle 101, e.g., devices140, 150 discussed below, and/or receive messages from the variousdevices, e.g., controllers, actuators, sensors, etc., including datacollectors 110. Alternatively or additionally, in cases where thecomputing device 105 actually comprises multiple devices, the CAN bus orthe like may be used for communications between devices represented asthe computing device 105 in this disclosure.

The data store 106 may be of any known type, e.g., hard disk drives,solid-state drives, servers, or any volatile or non-volatile media. Thedata store 106 may store the collected data 115 sent from the datacollectors 110.

The computer 105 may be programmed for rear obstacle detection, e.g., asis known. For example, the computer 105 processor could executeinstructions to determine whether the vehicle 101 is about to collide(e.g., there is a risk of collision within a certain amount of time,e.g., 3 seconds, above a risk threshold) with a rear obstacle and, uponsuch determination, to actuate one or more vehicle mechanisms withoutdriver intervention, e.g., braking, steering, throttle, etc. Further, arear obstacle detection controller 107 may be included or be connectedto an output mechanism to indicate a rear obstacle collision, e.g.,sounds and/or visual indicators provided via the vehicle 101 HMI.

Data collectors 110 may include a variety of devices. For example,various controllers in a vehicle may operate as data collectors 110 toprovide data 115 via the CAN bus, e.g., data 115 relating to vehiclespeed, acceleration, system and/or component functionality, etc., of anynumber of vehicles 101. Further, sensors or the like, could be includedin a vehicle and configured as data collectors 110 to provide datadirectly to the computer 105, e.g., via a wired or wireless connection.Sensor data collectors 110 could include mechanisms such as RADAR,LIDAR, sonar, etc. sensors that could be deployed to measure a distancebetween the vehicle 101 and other vehicles or objects, e.g. a rearobstacle. Yet other data collectors 110 could include cameras,breathalyzers, motion detectors, etc., i.e., data collectors 110 toprovide data 115 for evaluating a condition or state of a vehicle 101operator.

Collected data 115 may include a variety of data collected in a vehicle101. Examples of collected data 115 are provided above, and moreover,data 115 is generally collected using one or more data collectors 110,and may additionally include data calculated in the computer 105. Ingeneral, collected data 115 may include any data that may be gathered bythe data collectors 110 and/or computed from such data.

The wearable device 140 may be any one of a variety of computing devicesincluding a processor and a memory, as well as communicationcapabilities that is programmed to be worn on a driver's body. Forexample, the wearable device 140 may be a watch, a smart watch, avibrating apparatus, etc. that includes capabilities for wirelesscommunications using IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, and/or cellularcommunications protocols. Further, the wearable device 140 may use suchcommunications capabilities to communicate directly with a vehiclecomputer 105, e.g., using Bluetooth.

The system 100 may include the user device 150. The user device 150 maybe any one of a variety of computing devices including a processor and amemory, e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, a personal digital assistant, etc.The user device 150 may communicate with the vehicle computer 105 andthe wearable device 140 over the CAN bus, OBD, and/or other wirelessmechanisms as described above.

FIG. 2 illustrates a process 200 for employing the wearable device 140in conjunction with the rear obstacle collision controller 107. Theprocess 200 begins in a block 202, in which the computing device 105identifies a vehicle 101 occupant. The computing device 105 may identifythe driver in one or more manners, e.g., receiving data from one or moreof the wearable device 140, the user device 150, and/or the datacollectors 110. For example, as is known, the occupant could beidentified using image recognition techniques in the computer 105 usingdata 115 from a camera data collector 110, a user identity could beinput via a wearable device 140 of a vehicle 101 HMI, or the wearabledevice 140 could identify the user/occupant via collected biometricdata, e.g., a fingerprint, etc. Upon identifying the occupant, thecomputing device 105 may retrieve from its data store 106 informationabout the occupant, including age, size, driving skill level, preferredmechanisms for receiving information (e.g., haptic, audio, etc.), etc.

Next, in a block 205, the computing device 105 collects data 115 about arear obstacle. The data 115 may include visual data, radar, lidar,sonar, etc.

Next, in a block 210, the computing device 105 collects data 115specifying vehicle 101 speed. The data 115 may come from, e.g.,speedometers, accelerometers, etc.

Next, in a block 212, the computing device 105 determines whether thedriver is looking away from the control cluster. In conventional reardriving scenarios, the driver may look at the control cluster to seefeed from a rear camera to see if there are any rear obstacles. Thevehicle 101 may have an internal camera to detect whether the driver islooking at the control cluster during the rear driving scenario. If thedriver is looking at the control cluster, the process 200 continues in ablock 215. Otherwise, the process continues in a block 230.Alternatively, the driver may be looking through a rear window, and thecomputing device 105 may determine whether the driver is looking out therear window. In some implementations, block 212 may be skipped, i.e.,the computing device does not check whether the driver is looking towardthe control cluster or through the rear window.

In the block 215, the computing device determines whether the vehicle101 speed is above a first threshold. The first threshold may be, e.g.,an average reverse speed measured over a period of time, a recommendedreverse speed, etc., and may be stored in the data store 106 andretrieved upon identification of the driver in the block 202. Anexemplary first threshold may be 10 miles per hour to avoid excessiverear maneuvering for novice drivers. If the vehicle 101 speed is abovethe first threshold, then the process 200 continues in a block 230.Otherwise, the process 200 continues in a block 220. The first thresholdmay alternatively be stored on the user device 150. Alternatively, theuser device 150 may use the vehicle 101 speed data and determine whetherthe vehicle speed is above the first threshold.

In the block 220, the computing device 105 estimates a time to impactthe rear obstacle. That is, the computing device uses data 115 collectedin the blocks 205 and 210 to estimate the time until the vehicle 101impacts the rear obstacle. For example, data 115 on the distance betweenthe vehicle 101 and the rear obstacle may be used with the currentvehicle speed to estimate the time to impact as follows:

$t_{impact} = \frac{d_{obstacle}}{v_{closing}}$where t_(impact) is the estimated time to impact, d_(obstacle) is thedistance between the vehicle 101 and the rear obstacle, and v_(closing)is the velocity between the current speed of the vehicle 101 and therear obstacle.

Next, in a block 225, the computing device 105 determines whether theestimated time to impact is below a second threshold. The secondthreshold may be based on, e.g., a time required to brake based on thecurrent vehicle 101 speed, an average reaction time for the occupant,etc., and may be stored in the data store 106 and retrieved uponidentification of the driver in the block 202. An exemplary secondthreshold may be 1.2 seconds. If the time to impact is below the secondthreshold, the process 200 continues in the block 230. Otherwise, theprocess 200 returns to the block 205 to collect more data.

In the block 230, the computing device 105 provides an instruction tothe wearable device 140 to actuate one or more output mechanisms. Theoutput mechanisms may include haptic output, e.g. a vibration, audiooutput, and/or visual output, e.g. flashing lights, flashing colors,etc. Based on the information from the block 202, the one or more outputmechanism may be selected according to the occupant. For example, anoccupant who is hard of hearing may have a stronger vibration output,while another occupant may prefer a visual output. Advantageously, thecomputing device 105 may be programmed, e.g., including setting thethreshold of the block 215, to cause actuation of the wearable deviceoutput prior to an alert, warning, or evasive action implemented by aconventional rear obstacle detection controller 107, e.g., a system thatprovides an indication of, or reacts to, an imminent rear collision byactuating vehicle lights, sounds, brakes, etc. Alternatively, the userdevice 150 may provide the instruction to the wearable device to actuatethe output mechanisms.

Next, in a block 235, the computing device 105 determines whether therear obstacle detection controller 107 detects an imminent rearcollision, i.e., the vehicle 101 will impact the rear obstacle in thenext few seconds. The rear obstacle detection controller may use radaror vision systems to collect distance and closing velocity informationto determine whether a collision is imminent and to actuate conventionalresponse systems. The rear obstacle detection controller uses the data115 to determine whether the vehicle 101 is about to impact the rearobstacle. If the rear obstacle detection controller detects an imminentrear collision, the process 200 continues in a block 240. Otherwise, theprocess 200 returns to the block 205 to collect more data.

In the block 240, the computing device 105 activates one or more secondoutput mechanisms, i.e. a vehicle alert, using the rear collisiondetection controller 107 and the process 200 ends. The computing device105 may also send a supplemental instruction to the wearable device 140to actuate the one or more output mechanisms. The second outputmechanisms may include, e.g., a vibrating steering wheel, an alarmthrough the vehicle speakers, a flashing light on the dashboard, etc.

As used herein, the adverb “substantially” modifying an adjective meansthat a shape, structure, measurement, value, calculation, etc. maydeviate from an exact described geometry, distance, measurement, value,calculation, etc., because of imperfections in materials, machining,manufacturing, sensor measurements, computations, processing time,communications time, etc.

Computing devices 105 generally each include instructions executable byone or more computing devices such as those identified above, and forcarrying out blocks or steps of processes described above.Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted fromcomputer programs created using a variety of programming languagesand/or technologies, including, without limitation, and either alone orin combination, Java™, C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, HTML,etc. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receivesinstructions, e.g., from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., andexecutes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes,including one or more of the processes described herein. Suchinstructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using avariety of computer-readable media. A file in the computing device 105is generally a collection of data stored on a computer readable medium,such as a storage medium, a random access memory, etc.

A computer-readable medium includes any medium that participates inproviding data (e.g., instructions), which may be read by a computer.Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to,non-volatile media, volatile media, etc. Non-volatile media include, forexample, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatilemedia include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typicallyconstitutes a main memory. Common forms of computer-readable mediainclude, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk,magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any otheroptical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium withpatterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any othermemory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which a computer canread.

With regard to the media, processes, systems, methods, etc. describedherein, it should be understood that, although the steps of suchprocesses, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certainordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the describedsteps performed in an order other than the order described herein. Itfurther should be understood that certain steps could be performedsimultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain stepsdescribed herein could be omitted. For example, in the process 200, oneor more of the steps could be omitted, or the steps could be executed ina different order than shown in FIG. 2. In other words, the descriptionsof systems and/or processes herein are provided for the purpose ofillustrating certain embodiments, and should in no way be construed soas to limit the disclosed subject matter.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present disclosure,including the above description and the accompanying figures and belowclaims, is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Manyembodiments and applications other than the examples provided would beapparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the abovedescription. The scope of the invention should be determined, not withreference to the above description, but should instead be determinedwith reference to claims appended hereto and/or included in anon-provisional patent application based hereon, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It isanticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the artsdiscussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will beincorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should beunderstood that the disclosed subject matter is capable of modificationand variation.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising a computer in avehicle including a processor and a memory, the memory storinginstructions executable by the computer to: provide a first output in awearable device of an occupant in the vehicle when a reverse speed ofthe vehicle exceeds a first threshold received by the computer of thevehicle from a handheld user device of the occupant in the vehicle; andprovide a second output in the vehicle when a rear obstacle collisiondetection controller detects an impending collision with a rearobstacle.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions furtherinclude instructions to adjust the first threshold upon identificationof the occupant.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructionsfurther include instructions to estimate a time to impact the rearobstacle and provide the first output when the time to impact the rearobstacle is below a second threshold.
 4. The system of claim 2, whereinthe instructions further include instructions to adjust the secondthreshold upon identification of the occupant.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the first output is a haptic output.
 6. The system of claim 1,wherein the first threshold is an average reverse speed of the vehicle.7. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further includeinstructions to provide the first output upon receiving data from aninterior vehicle camera indicating that the occupant is looking awayfrom a control cluster of the vehicle.
 8. The system of claim 1, whereinthe instructions further include instructions to send reverse speed dataof the vehicle to the handheld user device and the handheld user deviceis programmed to provide the first output in the wearable device whenthe reverse speed of the vehicle exceeds the first threshold.
 9. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructionsto provide the first output in the wearable device when the rearobstacle collision controller detects an impending collision with therear obstacle.
 10. A method, comprising: providing a first output in awearable device of an occupant in a vehicle when a reverse speed of thevehicle exceeds a first threshold received from a handheld user deviceof the occupant in the vehicle; and providing a second output in thevehicle when a rear obstacle collision detection controller detects animpending collision with a rear obstacle.
 11. The method of claim 10,further comprising adjusting the first threshold upon identification ofthe occupant.
 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising estimatinga time to impact the rear obstacle and providing the first output whenthe time to impact the rear obstacle is below a second threshold. 13.The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting the secondthreshold upon identification of the occupant.
 14. The method of claim10, wherein the first output is a haptic output.
 15. The method of claim10, wherein the first threshold is an average reverse speed of thevehicle.
 16. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing thefirst output upon receiving data from an interior vehicle cameraindicating that the occupant is looking away from a control cluster ofthe vehicle.
 17. The method of claim 10, further comprising sendingreverse speed data of the vehicle to the handheld user device andproviding the first output in the wearable device with the handheld userdevice upon determining that the reverse speed data exceeds the firstthreshold with the handheld user device.
 18. The method of claim 10,further comprising providing the first output in the wearable devicewhen the rear obstacle collision controller detects an impendingcollision with the rear obstacle.